Jermain Defoe has insisted Rangers are still going places, and that fans should be excited, despite last night’s crushing defeat against Aberdeen.

With a semi-final showdown with bitter rivals Celtic at stake, Steven Gerrard’s men took on the Dons at Ibrox in last night’s Scottish Cup quarter-final tie knowing they needed to win to keep alive their realistic hopes of claiming silverware this season.

Defoe was a sub for most of last night’s loss but he insists his new club are definitely on the right course to eventually overhaul Celtic and claim their first piece of silverware during the Steven Gerrard era.

Speaking via the Clyde 1 website, the ex-England striker said: “Fans are going to be frustrated, just like the players. This is a massive football club and when you’re playing for a big football club, there’s big demands.

“You have to play well every game. The fans expect you to win, expect you to progress in these kinds of tournaments.

“But, I think in the short space of time I’ve been here, watching other games on TV and stuff like that, I wouldn’t want to be in other dressing rooms.

“I think if you look at the quality we’ve got in the dressing room, the international players we’ve got, it’s a time for the football club to be excited.

“The fans should be excited.

“Yes, it’s a disappointment after the Aberdeen defeat, but I just think it can take time for things to build.

“You can get the best players in the world and put them together. But it’s not going to become an unbelievable team overnight. Sometimes it takes time.

“And you’ve seen that with the best teams and best players.

“But if I was a Rangers fan, watching the games on the terraces with a season ticket, I’d definitely be excited. It’s a club and a team definitely going places.”

Rangers now host Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon in what surely must be considered an absolutely must-win match.